WAR isn't about mitigation, it's about getting those HP back. In a sens, if you know what you're doing, it's much more effective, since you can answer to a specific situation, whereas a PLD who don't use a CD for a special hit or something, has accomplished nothing.

I do agree that moving the incoming heals buff from wrath to defiance would be nice, or not consuming wrath when using IB and such, but beside that, I'm really happy with WAR, people complaining are much likely people who wanted to be some axe wielding paladin. Well too bad.